Gauging apparatus for aligning shafts



Aug. l,' 1950 J. B. CHRISTIAN GAUGING APPARATUS FOR ALIGNING SHAFTS File d Jan. 16, 1946 ATTOR/VEV Patented Aug. 1, 1950 Jos'epliiiBi-Christian, New York, N. r. I I Applicationljanuary16, 194QLSeiial No.'641,551'.

's Glaimsi" (01. 33-18 (Grantedinnderxtheaact or. Marcha -S, 1883, as?

This invention concerns an apparatus rforzdee termining misalignment of a pair. of shafts and for aligninga pair of shafts; andparticularly cone cerns an apparatus for determining misalignment ofzand for aligning a pair of shafts andnan r interconnecting shaft.

An object of the invention-is to provide anapparatus that :can' be removablymounted .on: adj a cent: ends of a pair of shafts fori;indicating;.;the degree and directionof angular misalignment-of theashaf-ts; whereby: the correction necessary to bring the shafts into alignment can be :computed and the shafts be redisposed into i. corrected aligned position;

Another object is to providerarrapparatusthat can be: mounted on a pairzof spacedtshafts and an interconnecting: shaft I for indicating: thef'ideggree and direction of 'angularzmisalignment of the shafts; whereby theiicorrection necessary to bring the shafts into alignment can be computed and the shafts be redisposed -into corrected aligned *position. 1

Further objects and advantagesiof this invene. tion, as well asitsconstruction, arrangement and operation, will be apparent from the" following long I3 extending into a unit I4, and an interconnecting shaft I5. Mounted upon driving shaft II is an indicating disc I6 provided with a collar I! having a friction clamp I8, which can be tightened by means of a screw I9 upon a resilient bushing 20 on shaft II. An aperture 2I is provided near the periphery of disc IS. The periphery of disc I6 is arced longitudinally as indicated at 22 with the are having its center on the longitudinal axis of shaft I I.

Mounted upon shaft I5 is a disc-shaped adapter 23 having a collar 24 provided with a friction clamp 25, which can be tightened by means of a screw 26 upon a resilient bushing 21 mounted on shaft I5. Mounted upon the periphery of adapter 23 is a ring-shaped bearing 28, which is locked in place by means of studs 29 and nuts 30. Bearing 28 is provided with an annular rim 3I, which extends toward indicating disc I6 and which is provided with a bearing surface 32 extending into contact with periphery 22 of indiamendedr-eAprilJI), 1928'; 37 0= O. Q1757);

. connectingrshaft I5 adjacent to shaft II.

eatingdiscuIIi. Removably mounted in bearing 23-is a pin-33 having a shank 34, which extends through =,opening-2l in indicating disc I6 so that indicating disc I6 rotates together with adapter 23-cand bearing;- 28.

Threaded. into the periphery of bearing 28' is abracket. 315-liavi-ng a: split collar 36 within which is mounted a conventional typeof contact indicator 3515i 21A split; clamp 38 .is tightened by means of a screw: 39 .tosecure contact indicator 3'! within split icollar 36. Indicator3l is provided! withxa' plunger 24%]; which rextends into contact withindicating disc I6. Indicator ans provided-with: adial face 4| and an indicating hand"42.

Mounted on shaft I3 is an apparatus similar to thatid'escribed as being mounted on shaft II and mounted on the end" of interconnecting shaft I 5 adjacent to shaft I3 is aniapparatus similar to that described as being mounted on the inter: Similar' partsxare given similar reference characters with-"the addition of a prime mark.

Operationof the device is asfollows; When it is desired to bring. drivingshaft I I, driven. shaft I3;and-interconnecting shaft I5 into alignment; driving shaft .II is first secured tinplace so that theraxis thereof is established as a reference for alignment-.- Interccnnecting shaft I5 is removed from its position between driving-shaft II and driven -sha'ft lfs. Indicatin'g'discs I6 and lG'. are then mounted on shafts II and I3 respectively; Indicating -disc bearings 28" and g 28' I are: then placed over theends of interconnecting shaft li5. Adapters 23 and 23' are then placed on interconnecting shaft I5 together with bushing 21 and its corresponding bushing (not shown) and are locked in place by means of screws 26 and 26. Interconnecting shaft I5 is then moved into position between driving shaft II and driven shaft I3, and bearings 28 and 28' are slipped over discs l6 and I6 and are locked in place by means of nuts 30 and 30. Driving pins 33 and 33' are then inserted in place.

Indicating shaft I5 is then slowly turned by hand with the result that adapter assemblies 23 and 23' and indicating discs I6 and I6 rotate together by means of pins 33 and 33'. As indicating disc I6 rotates the point thereon that is in contact with indicating plunger 40 describes a circle defining a plane perpendicular to shaft I I. Likewise as adapter 23 rotates, a point thereon describes a circle defining a plane perpendicular to shaft I5. The divergence between these two planes is indicated as shafts I I and I5 rotate by indicator 31 through the action of relocated in alignment with shaft H by simply.

moving shaft about an axis defined by a diameter of adapter 23 at right angles to the diameter drawn through the points of maximum and minimum deviation.

When shaft l 5 is relocated into alignment with shaft H rotation of shafts l5 and II causes indicator 3'! to give a constant reading.

Shaft i3 can be aligned with interconnecting shaft 15 by performing the same operation as described in connection with shafts II and I5.

When shafts ll, i5 and I3 are brought into alignment the iapparatus can be disassembled and interconnecting shaft l5 coupled to shafts II and I3 for normal operation in conventional manner.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as set forth in the appended claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor. C

What is claimed is: I

1. An apparatus for indicating misalignment of and for aligning a pair of shafts comprising an indicating. disc having a collar arranged to be mountedon the end of the first of the shafts and having a surface extending transversely with respect to thecenterline of the shaft, means for lockingnsaid disc'for rotation with said shaft, an adapter having a collar arranged to be mounted on the end of the second shaft adjacent said disc and having a radially extending flange and means for locking said collar for rotation with the shaft, a bearing mounted peripherally on said fiangeand having an annular rim extending into sliding engagement with the periphery of said indicating disc, means for locking said indicating disc and said adapter for rotation togetheiyan indicator mounted on said adapter and, having faplunger extending into contactwith the transverse surface of said disc whereby rotation of said apparatus will afford an indication of the relative alignment of the shafts.

2. An apparatus for indicating misalignment of and for aligning a pair of shafts that are in approximate alignment, said apparatus comprising a first disc arranged tobe mounted on the end of the first of the shafts, the first disc extending normally with respect to the axis of the first shaft, means for locking the first disc for rotation with the first shaft, a second disc arranged to be mounted 0n the end of the second shaft adjacent the first disc, the second disc extending normally with respect to the axis of the second shaft, the second disc having a peripheral flange adapted to extend about the periphery of thefirst disc, means for locking the second disc for rotation with the second shaft, means for locking the first disc and the second disc for rotation together, and an indicator mounted on one of the discs and extending into contact with the othenofthediscs. i I

. .3. An..apparatl ls for indicating misalignment of ,and'for aligning a paircf shafts comprising a first member, arranged to be mounted onthe endflof the firstof the shafts and having a portion extending radially with respect to the axis of the, first shaft, means for locking the first member for rotationwiththe first shaft, a second member arranged to'be mounted on the end of the second shaft adjacent the first member and having a portion extending radially with respect to the axis of the second shaft, means for locking the second member for rotation with the second shaft, means for locking the first and second members for rotation together, and an indicator mounted on theiradial. portion'ofone of said members and extending into contact with the radial portion of the other of said members.

' JOSEPH B. CHRISTIAN.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number; i Name 7 Date 685,288 Miller Oct. 29, 1901 1,505,313 :Colwell Aug. 19, 1924 ,970,092- Hink, Aug. 14, 1934 2,006,013 Claywell 'June 25,1935 2,167,361; Hauckeq July 25, 1939 2,366,394 Gerber Jan. 2, 1945 

